Citizenship and democracy

European Citizens' Panel

Having initiated an innovative project for citizen panels, the Foundation for Future Generations decided to entrust AEIDL with the role of operator for the coordination of its European Citizens’ Panel.

The project aims to enable a broad spectrum of citizens from across Europe to obtain information, meet decision makers, experts and resource people to then draw up and disseminate proposals for the future of rural areas in Europe. They will notably be used by the relevant European and regional authorities to guide them in the definition of new directions for agricultural and rural development policies for the 2007-2013 period and beyond.

The project specifically sets out to:

1. Work in a European perspective, rooted in the diversity of local realities
2. Provide decision-makers with an opinion and a supplementary decision-making tool.
3. Create exchanges between citizens and politicians through the development of a forum for dialogue
4. Incite and nurture public debate
5. Contribute to learning and participation.

How? Action will be conducted on two levels, regional and European:

1. Creation of around ten regional panels made up of “ordinary citizens” chosen at random in line with the diversity of the population. Each panel will receive information through experts and resource people and will formulate proposals.

2. Delegates from various regional panels will meet to form a European panel and draw up an opinion and recommendations which will be sent to European institutions and diffused widely throughout the civil society.

http://www.citizenspanel.eu

Europanel Leaflet

Evaluation of North/South solidarity magazine "Défis Sud"

In November 2005, AEIDL carried out an evaluation of the "Défis Sud" magazine. With a print-run of thousands of copies, this magazine is produced by “SOS Faim”, a Belgian NGO, working in development cooperation. In its current version, Défis Sud is an awareness raising tool which encourages debate. It contains a number of in-depth and well researched articles related to food issues in Africa and Latin America. One of the questions which the evaluator has to answer is how this magazine can bring together its debating role, with the requirement to provide information on the activities of SOS Faim. A further question is how SOS Faim can, through this magazine, bring added value with regard to other journals which deal with similar themes? The AEIDL evaluation is qualitative. The proposals will be used to inform decision-making and changes within SOS Faim. 

Journalistic summary report for "Frères des hommes"

On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the "Frères des hommes” in September 2005, AEIDL was assigned the task of writing the report of the conference organised in Paris by this French NGO. The theme of this gathering was: “From the South to the North, the poor and the excluded, actors and citizens in building a more caring world”. The challenge was to avoid writing the report in an administrative style but rather to adopt a journalistic approach, where the points of consensus and debate are clearly presented.

Evaluation of the Annoncer la Couleur programme

The Belgian Federal Department for Development Cooperation assigned AEIDL with the task of evaluating the "Annoncer la couleur" programme. The Annoncer la Couleur programme is a Belgian Federal Development Cooperation initiative. It was created in March 1997 with the objective of generating “awareness among young people” of the issues involved in North-South relations.

Helpdesk for the relays and networks of the European Union

On behalf of DG X (Information, Communication, Culture, Audiovisual), AEIDL provided technical assistance to the relays and networks of the European Union ( Rural Information Carrefours, Info-Points Europe, Urban Forums and European Documentation Centres) over the period 1996 to 1999.

EU Reporters – European Local Development Youth Tour

They were aged between 18 and 27 years and were called Grit, Nuria, Elia, Sîan, Gozia, Jo, Katell and Miriam. They came from Germany, Spain, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Poland, Belgium, France and Ireland, and all had one thing in common: their involvement in the life of their district or region. Still studying or having already begun their working lives, they were selected with the help of the European Rural Carrefours and other partner organisations, to travel across Europe in 30 days.

For its tenth anniversary in 1998, AEIDL enabled eight young Europeans from different origins and cultures to travel together to seven different European Union countries. This adventure would not have been possible without the cooperation of the Carrefours and meeting centres in Germany and France.

The Carrefours first of all played an important role in the selection of the candidates. They then put together an interesting programme for them, with a variety of activities. They chose to show them the types of actions in which they were involved. Each time the EU-Reporters made a visit, Carrefours mobilised the local and regional media.

The journey, which was mainly by train, took them to the far North to the far South, and from the West to the East of Europe. "I think that Europe is a constellation of numerous cultures and perceptions, and I believe it is this which lies at the origin of its wealth of spirituality. Unfortunately, Europe’s image is often jeopardised by the constant battle for money. The threat is that one day, only a few people will be concerned about Europe’s cultural heritage."

"The heritage shared by all Europeans and which should be preserved includes music, traditions, gastronomy, architecture and above all languages (even minority ones). Even if relations are sometimes made difficult, I think that we should learn to respect them."

By meeting other young people during their journey, they were able to exchange impressions with them about European construction. They took part in local activities, which inspired them with ideas which they were able to take back home with them. These "souvenirs from their journey", were not only brought back to their home countries, but were also shared with leading European personalities, both in Brussels at the European Parliament and during AEIDL’s tenth anniversary celebrations.